Why did iPhone 4S stick with the 3.5-inch screen?

There were rumors Apple might move to a 3.75 or even 4-inch screen for the 2011 iPhone, but instead iPhone 4S was introduced with the same 3.5-inch screen size Apple has used since 2007. Dustin Curtis thinks it all boils down to what it usually does for Apple -- usability.

Touching the upper right corner of the screen on the Galaxy S II using one hand, with its 4.27-inch screen, while you’re walking down the street looking at Google Maps, is extremely difficult and frustrating. I pulled out my iPhone 4 to do a quick test, and it turns out that when you hold the iPhone in your left hand and articulate your thumb, you can reach almost exactly to the other side of the screen. This means it’s easy to touch any area of the screen while holding the phone in one hand, with your thumb. It is almost impossible to do this on the Galaxy S II.

Basically, Apple treats iPad as a two-handed device, iPhone as a one- or two-handed device.

Reader comments

Why did iPhone 4S stick with the 3.5-inch screen?

Good reasoning, but my preference would have been multiple devices.
I think th iphone is a nice device, but I prefer something a little larger, especially during my Netflix lunch breaks.
Give us choice of size, p-p-please!!

Just did the same test of my Thunderbolt too, I'm 5'4" and female and the only spot I couldn't reach with my left hand thumb while holding my phone normally was no more than a centimeter in the top right hand corner...this is not the reason.

Size doesn't really matter, it is clarity of what you see that matters and you can see just as well with a 3.5 inch screen.
It doesn't need to be bigger. better sound would be an improvement but having a larger screen that would necessitate larger pixels would affect the image quality and then people would whine making a noise like Fran Drescher in the Nanny!

That is irrelevant we are not talking about a difference of double the size. Though it would depend on the size of the room. Sitting too far away from a small screen obviously the experience is harmed but sitting too near to a large screen you have the same loss of experience.
Where do you sit at the cinema, do you sit at the front with that huge cinema screen to watch the Movie? No you sit were it is comfortable to view the movie and you get the best possible viewing experience.
Again when you get a phone a larger screen is not relevant to the experience. When the size gets too large it requires a user to hold the phone progressively further away to allow them to view the screen comfortably. It's a simple ergonomic argument.
As it happens I have a 42 inch screen in my living room but I happen to sit where it would, relative to the distance be the same as holding a 3.5 inch screen at a comfortable ergonomic distance where I do not get strain to my eyes and do not end up with aching limbs from holding a phone at arms length to read or view something.
If you want a huge screen I suggest that there are plenty of huge phones out there that will make you 'wet'.
Sadly Mr Orange, looking at photo's of your member on a big screen isn't going to make it any bigger when the missus is disappointed in it! Sorry.

U also gotta consider the retina display how having a larger display would reduce the ppi density. Unless they have a way or are in the process of finding a way to replicate a retina display at a 4 inch screen

Greg. You are partially correct.
It would COST more than APPLE is willing to pay.
Remember the phone only costs about $180 in parts to build. Samsung pays about the same to build the SGII line. The difference is Samsung isn't gouging the carriers and consumer's. I paid $25 bucks on sale for a phone that is $180 on contract. The Apple line of phones are never on sale unless Apple allows the carriers to dump them due to old tech. Its the whole reason Apple has a huge amount of cash in the bank account now. Apples profit is %500+a phone!!!!

The reason Samsung and Android can sell those phones cheaper isn't because they don't want to gauge customers it's because they release new devices all the time. There's been what, 3 flags hip Droid's released in the last 4-5 months? Thunderbolt, Charge and now the Bionic, plus the Droid 3 and Droid X2. They know they can sell those cheaper because the hardcore Droid fan will always want the newest model, whereas the iPhone is just that, the iPhone. The only difference is black and white and gigs.. People are so gullible.

Again, to make a retina display at 4 inches would complicate the production process and compatibility of software. To make it compatible it would require doubling the physical resolution of the screen again, on a 4 inch display so that the hardware could translate the image data correctly and maintain a retina display. The hardware is not available for this type of resolution and it would affect performance to make software do the adjustment. Any performance improvement a dual core processor gives would be lost by the constant interference of the operating system to adjust the screen data to meet the 4 inch display AND there would still be a degree of loss of retina display with the translation made by software.

Julian...iPhone users were happy when the screen resolution was 1/2 was it is now on the iPhone 4/4S.......so your PPI logical reasoning for not going to a slightly larger screen doesn't really hold water.

It holds some logic in that now that retina display has been introduce on the device, they probably won't want to take it away. People were happy before devices went 3G but that doesn't mean they are willing to go back to the pre-3G days (same will eventually be true for 4G).

There is no way I would go back to the 3G(s) screen after having the 4. I can't believe it when I look at someone else's 3G(s) phone. I would definitely not be happy. Now if they kept the same ppi and went to a larger screen, that would be the only real upgrade (and a very nice one, I think). However, I think that would be a major change due to changing the resolution of all the existing apps, etc...

Nexus Prime to be announced soon is supposed to be 4.65" curved screen but have a 1280x720 pixel resolution. This would give it the retina display pip that the iPhone 4 & 4S have now. One can argue the screen is too big or won't fit in their pocket, but the technology for the pip density on the bigger screens is there.

Most of these devices with larger screens are using that Pentile thing where the screen quality suffers, otherwise there would be battery life problems. I'll take quality over size any day, go read about all the complaints about Pentile, I'm glad they didn't go that route.

The Super AMOLED HD will not be Pentile. Neither the Nexus Prime or the Droid HD is reported to come with a Pentile Screen. Plus, not all Pentile screens are equal. It all depends on the type of Pentile screen.

This is not true. The iPhone 3.5-inch Retina display has a pixel density of 326 ppi. The Samsung Galaxy SII, with a screen size of 4.65-inches has a pixel density of 316 ppi (a difference not visible to the human eye).
Also the Motorola Droid HD (or RAZR), will launch with a 4.5-inch screen with a pixel density of 329 ppi.

I have always said to my friends that I don't want a bigger iPhone. The size right now is just right to fit into my hand and my pocket. I don't want to feel like I am walking around with a tablet in my pocket. OK, insert the "Is that a tablet in you pocket..." jokes here. ;)

I agree 100% I like my phone in my pocket and I like my phone with a case on it, so 3.5" works fine. If I need to watch a movie, TV show, or for some reason need a bigger screen I find one. Either my iPad or macbook seem to work just fine. 4" would offer me no real benefit other than making some icons bigger and it be more obvious I am using my phone.

I feel exactly the same as Adam. Speaking for myself, I'll say that in the unlikely event that Apple increases the size of the iPhone, I'll buy it if it's smaller than other smartphones on the market. I prefer 3.5" but could handle 4". I don't expect there to be many Android phones under 4.3" next year.

I think they will increase the size with the next hardware revision, however, I think they will stay above 300 ppi w/o changing the total number of pixels to maintain app compatibility. Whatever size screen can fit within these constraints is my guess to be the next screen revision. I get the one hand argument but I am still hoping for a bigger screen.

Disagree, went from 3g to original Galaxy (4") and can easily navigate phone with one hand. Yes more than 4" it probably does get too big. Tried the 3.5" and 3.7", for me 4" screen is the sweet spot. Guess I'll keep waiting to see what the next iphone brings.

They stuck with the screen because they already have the production pipeline for the 3.5 retina displays and they can milk another year out of it. While people (including me) wanted a larger screen, the retina display is still considered one of the best displays available. So why increase the screen size, and hence lower the pixel density, and take a hit for a screen that is not as sharp. It's the same reason they went with the same form factor again. They will re-design it next year with the iphone 5 after they have fully reaped the benefits of increased margins.

While I think the iPhone will never get a huge screen for this reason, I think the lack of any change comes back to battery life. Through all of apples product release, the nest generation never sacrifices anything, the features either improve or stay the same. Therefore apple would rather keep the same screen and improve battery life, than increase screen size and sacrifice the battery. While sometimes frustrating, I do think this plan of action is what keeps apple products such high quality.

What haeppns after I create an app using Powerpoint and PDF? Do I get someone to program the prototype for me or can I somehow submit the prototype to Apple? This is not clear when I read your information. Please comment on the next step as I am eager to get started. Thank you.

the truth is apple might have no choice but to switch to 4" minimum next iphone, when the original iphone came out 3.5" was HUGE , now it's the minimum. Hanging on to the 3.5" too much will have the same impact on them as it did on RIM for hanging on to the keyboard too long. Yeah it's awesome keyboard but it's time to move on. like it or not, no 4" next year will equal time to move on for a lot of people, the whole they'll sell a million phones anyways argument won't hold water because technically RIM and NOKIA sell millions right now, when your this size it's not about only selling millions, it's about selling more and staying cool and relevant.

Once again TiPb broke my bull$#!t meter.
Apple stuck with a 3.5" screen because its the most usable size. Yeah. Keep believing that. And then when the next gen phone has a bigger screen then go and claim that Apple reinvented the ruler and now 4" screens are now the optimal size.

I just googled "how tall is Dustin Curtis" and all that came up is a website about dwarf tossing. Perhaps you should think about who you quote next time. As a tall male I am deeply offended by your insensitivity about screen sizes.

The reason they didn't change was because it would have been a nightmare for developers. iPad screen is bigger but the why the pixels/resolution works out it is pretty much double that of the iPhone. So that was simple for developers. A small change in the iPhone screen size would mean that EVERY app would have to be redesigned to accommodate the new resolution.

Umm..yah...the resolution would stay the same. Hypothesizing about what the developers would have to do doesn't make it real. The pixel density would drop, but that's ok. If the first 3 phones were so 'fantastic' for iPhone users, then Apple should have the leeway to drop right back down to that same pixel density. Could probably make a 6" phone or something like that...lol

Yet the same developers make apps that work on a large variety of Android phones all with different screen sizes. The developer argument is a moot point. Its already being done with other platforms, and you build the app for the phone...you don't build the phone for the app.

That is one of the dumbest things I've heard in a while. What it boils down to is the fact that Apple knows they can get away with the same design as last year since they have done it quite a bit with the iPhone since it came out. Why make it bigger when they already have all the parts for this phone. Perhaps they finally got the white body perfected as well so it is just cost efficient for them. You know they will at least move to a 4 inch screen next year. Guarenteed.

Totally agree with this thinking. The only way the screen will get bigger is by reducing the bezel width a bit. Not being able to use a phone with one hand is probably the number one reason not to buy an iclone.

You guys are setting yourselves up for a mountain of disappointment next year. As Gruber has pointed out, Apple devices have always either gotten smaller or retained their current size (unless you include the Newton line, what wasn't a Jobs project).
There's zero evidence that Apple is coming out with a 4" screen in the future. It's all keep-up-with-the-Droids wishful thinking.

The 3.5 screen is perfect for me. I can hold it in one hand comfortably, I can type on it with one hand and a thumb comfortably if need be, and it just "feels" right in my hands and in my pocket. I think it's a very practical size.

LOL!!!
So make screen taller and keep the same width.
The first 3 phones had low resolutions and Apple user's thought it was better than sliced bread....high res..who needs it.
Get a higher res screen and suddenly the user's think Apple invented high resolution.
Same will apply to a larger screen. When Apple does put out a larger screen iPhone all the iSheep will suddenly comment on how the 'new' screen size is perfect because 'makeupareasonthatappearslogicalbuthasnobasisinfactandinsert_here'.....lol. And then they will act like Apple was first to market and someone made the world better. lol

I can safely say that I prefer the smaller screen. However, that is the reason that I chose an iPhone, is because its screen is not disgustingly large. I hate large screens and still cannot understand why anyone who doesn't have trouble with their eyes would want one. Just my opinion.

I would be disappointed if Apple started to make bigger screens just because the competition does.
The current size is just right. And it wasn't chosen overnight. I bet Steve and the team worked with dozen of iPhone prototypes of different form factors, shapes and materials.
Most people just don't understand what goes into a great mobile phone design. The speed at which Android phones are released tells me that they don't spend much time of actually designing something very usable. Usability is not their goal.
The reason cited is absolutely valid as well as the other 9 reasons why the iPhone screen size is what it is.
Steve would understand...

i don't care what there reasoning is. i want a 4 inch screen. It's not the biggest deal. i don't have an iphone so lack of it won't stop me from getting a 4s but a lack of it likely will stop me from getting a 5 unless it has some other killer app like it prints money or can produce clones of Paula Patton.

The inherent problem with this article is that it assumes that if Apple were to build an iPhone with a larger display, that it would use the same screen ratio as the WVGA (15:9) Galaxy S2.
Apple uses a 15:10 screen size ratio so the comparison above is a bit skewed.
Also, the green area for the thumb travel isn't even the same from the iPhone to the SGS2. Why the discrepancy?
This 4" screen would add about 1/4" to width and height. Is that a dealbreaker?
I'm sure when Apple finally gets around to building a 4" screened iPhone, all of these silly arguments against a larger screen will be forgotten.

screen size is a matter of preference...when i only had the iphone 4 i thought yes this is perfect size but then when i got my galaxy s2 i liked it even better,media and web browsing just felt better on the 4.3'' screen.. the iphone 4 is easier with one hand but i never did use it with one hand so it didnt matter...also now everytime i use the iphone 4 it just feels more small and cramped and especially considering they are both just as portable...

Sorry, I don't buy this explanation, not even close. To say the reason for a 3.5" screen is that it peserves a 1-handed form factor is not nearly the full story. Smaller hands can use a 4" screen just fine, not to mention that these days a smartphone is not just a phone, it's "the world in your pocket" - a larger 4" screen makes far more sense for browsing, viewing photos/media, social interaction, etc.
The more likely reasons why Apple kept a 3.5" screen are:

They can get away with it. Plenty of demand to delay another year before making a screen change. Financially, they'll make tons of money keeping the 3.5" for now and they know it. Moving to a 4" does not dramatically change the demand picture.

Application Ecosystem: moving to a higher resolution 4" screen means all developers in the app ecosystem would need to update their apps for a different display. Again, added disruption for not much added demand.

Battery life: bigger screens eat more juice, and battery life has always been a problem on the iPhone. On the other hand, bigger screen means bigger case, means you can stuff a bigger battery in there. But then there will be weight, feel, and other form-factor issues. Sure these can be addressed - and soon enough there will be a 4" iPhone with all of these additional form-factor issues resolved wonderfully - but again, Apple can afford to wait.

BOTTOM LINE: Apple makes beautiful, innovative products, but they're also business people. 3.5" vs. 4" comes down to money and timing. Going 4" today is a nice thing, but they really don't need to do it just yet, they can wait a while, they'll still make crazy money with 3.5", and they know it.

Rene, you got it wrong like you have always done. There can never be an iPhone screen larger than 3.5''. A bigger screen for iPhone will affect the iPad market. Basically, iPad is a glorified iPhone, so why would you crave for an iPad when a bigger iphone can do the same.

His argument is more subtle than you're inferring. He's not saying that people would give up their iPads. He's saying that there would be less craving for an iPad if the iPhone's size was "satisfactory".
Think of it this way: you either think the iPhone's screen is just the right size, or that it should be bigger. There seems to be a contingent of iPhone users who crave something "bigger". It really doesn't matter if it's 4", 4.3", 4.65" or 5"--just as long as it's "bigger". So people won't be satisfied with a 4" screen for more than six months. Rather than waste money on tooling a marginally bigger screen and casing just to placate alpha geeks, Apple just lets them channel their desire into the iPad.

The reason there isn't a larger screen is becaue the majority of the population doesn't know any different and aren't comparision shopping. They are following the brand hype and not demanding more from Apple as far as innovation and features... Apple is king of suckering its customers outa every penny for very lack luster upgrades, and they don't do a thing until the competion's features really start to make them look bad. iCloud, notifications, Siri, multitasking, sound customizations, etc, etc - were only provided once the competition made them standard and apple customers started to demand it.. Apple LOVES to trickle things out... They are more like a drug dealer then a innovative tech company..

3.5 is the perfect size ............ Well at least until Apple tells you that 4 inches is the perfect size. Face it you are all pissed off that Apple dropped the ball. By this reasoning if one handed use is the way to go than Blackberry should be cleaning up. I have a 4.3 inch HTC Sensation and I have no problem reaching all corners of the screen with one hand, and I'm 5'9 with normal sized hands. I can't believe that this article was even published trying to justify that Apple left it at 3.5 because it's ergonomic.......please! They left it this size because they knew they could milk millions off the same crap with a different name, and then milk millions next year off the same chumps when they announce the revolutionary, industry leading, never before seen 4" screen! Come on people open your eyes and see it for what it is. Oh and by the way it's ok to be disappointed and voice your opinion.

I'm also 5'9" with normal sized hands, but I went from a 4.3" Evo to a 4" Nexus S for better ergonomics, and will be moving to the 4S for the same reason (the iPhone wasn't on option on Sprint). Even when I briefly swapped out the Evo for my old Hero (3.3" I believe), as underpowered as the Hero was, the handling of the phone tempted me to keep using it. Alas, the Hero performance was unacceptable, but I absolutely loved the size of the phone.
I've disagreed with many of Apple's positions and policies, but Android's trend toward jumbophones has pushed me to make my peace with Apple.

There is a software solution to this problem in big screen phones. Android should not make any buttons that dont come in reach of thumb. That is buttons that rarely used can be kept on top corner. Frequently used buttons should be kept in bottom half of the phone.

Incredible, article based on no evidence or insider information .. just total guessing. Couldn't it have been a problem with the suppliers or manufacturers in China? or a business decision that fools will continue to buy this overpriced phone? Could be a million reasons.
What a miserable attempt to describe Apple's obvious failure to come up with a better phone as a clever 'usability' design decision.

People listen up:
The only reason Apple didn't show an iPhone 5 with a 4" screen this year but only an updated iPhone 4 is because Apple designed the iPhone 5 with an embedded SIM card and the carriers said no way! This was back in May since the iPhone 5 was going to be released in June. Apple then had to redesign the iPhone 5 in order to make room for a SIM card hence the delay and later they realized they couldn't get this on time and just slapped a bigger chip on the iPhone 4 and called it the iPhone 4S. This makes all sense now.

Would be nice if the graphic you made was fair to proportions. SGS2 is not that big compared to the iPhone. Plus the greep semicircle is bigger in the iPhone than the SGS2. Just look at the bottom of the semicircle, they start at the same top point, but the SGS2 has less height.

Reading on a 4.5inch screen is much easier on the eyes, I always felt that the iPhone screen was too small. I can easily reach all 4 corners on the SGS2, once you go to 4.5inch you wont want to go back, trust me.

Perhaps it is that Samsung makes the Screens for the iPhone, and with all the legal issues between Apple and Smasung right now, Apple doesn't want to enter into a contract with Samsung and are trying to find a new vender for a larger Hi-res screen along with other parts.
I think that this theory is a bit over reaching because its dependent on hand size and some uses.

I prefer a smaller screen. Not only do I not own an iPhone (I'm here because I plan to get a 4S now that Sprint's on board), but I downgraded from an Evo 4G to a Nexus S in large part for the smaller screen. I would've gotten an N1 if Sprint hadn't reneged on their plans to carry it.
I understand the superficial more-is-better appeal of larger screens, but I don't use my phone as a PMP, I'm more concerned with better ergonomics.

I am pretty sure that's the reason considering that they just introduced Siri.. the voice input assistant.. you know to help with the fingers. And by the way, I have Atrix and never had a problem with the fingers, but I must be bigger than the average iphone user.

I would like to see the numbers! Would be great if you guys could start a POLL asking people about their preferred screen size. I am ok with the iPhone form factor - that is one reason why I am sticking with it, as Androids are too big for a phone (except for motorola defy plus). I think Apple will increase screen size if they can keep the device´s form factor - meaning, a screen extending all the way to the very edge of the device. But again, they will run into problems with resolution as so many other mobile device OS did (think palmOS). But I am ok with it, if they do change things, they´ll do it when the technology is there and it´ll "just work".

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The big screens are going backwards in my opinion. The beaver-tail looking thunderbolts and samsungs are not going forward with technology, instead it seems to be the opposite. Shorter battery life, easier to damage, not to mention for those people in the field that work for a living have to fit these things in there pockets. The iPhone 4 has the perfect screen size!

I just received my iphone 4. For a person that was desperately waiting on the iphone 5, I'm glad I didn't even bother. I absolutely love the iphone 4 & it's shape. I would much rather have a phone this size that something big. I'm content with it. Kudos to Apple. xoxo <3

Lucky for you you have the ideal hand size that Apple were designing for!
I imagine it would be extremely difficult and frustrating to not have those sized hands.
Personally i find it extremely easy and comfortable using my GS2

Lucky for you you have the ideal hand size that Apple were designing for!
I imagine it would be extremely difficult and frustrating to not have those sized hands.
Personally i find it extremely easy and comfortable using my GS2

That is true that a smaller screen is easier for some people to reach all of it.
But there is sooo much usability given up by the little screen.
People always compares diagonals but ignore aspect ratio so that's not an apples to apples comparison (no pun intended).
The iPhone also uses a very squat 1.5 to 1 aspect ratio unlike most phones' 1.67 to 1 aspect ratio. So combined with the smaller diagonal, it amplifies the difference.
For example, the HTC Evo with a 4.3 inch screen and a 1.67:1 aspect ratio has 8.17 square inches of screen to work with rather than the iPhone's 5.65 square inches.
For people like me who use a smartphone more as a PDA/eReader/Information Manager more than as a phone, that affects usability far more than having to occasionally shift the phone a tiny bit in my hand to reach a far icon.
[Cue the people who say they wouldn't want a bigger screen but who will suddenly find it great when the iPhone 5 has one].

My phone has a 4" screen and I can easily use it one handed, at the very least they should have upped it to 3.75, you would have to have very small hands to not be able to use it one handed with a 3.75inch screen. plus, the smaller the screen, the more crisp and clear it seems. I'm thinking of getting this phone, they don't need to make it huge, just a bit bigger. however, I have large (not fat, just big) hands, for instance I can Palm a Regulation basketball. I can EASILY reach every corner of my 4.0" Screen one handed. however I think that they should have at least upped it to 3.75"

Apple needs to "STEP IT UP" the other companies are running circles around them.. 16 months to release a poor makeshift stall.. buying time for ??? litigation or $$$
I am an Apple follower but I'm getting board with what they are doing? Apple set the bar now they are falling short.. Sorry Its the truth.. you know it!

This is exactly why I'd prefer a nexus s over nexus prime or galaxy s2. 3.5 is the right size for ppl like me, who use single hand (thumb) for most use, and two hands (again both thumbs) only when playing games in landscape mode. Any bigger screen size is for those who hold the phone in one hand and use the index finger of the other for most of the usage.

This is actually pretty dumb reasoning. It assumes that the iPhone was designed to be used with a single hand and operated via a thumb only. But ever since the first iPhone one of the most useful and innovative features has been multitouch (you know, pinch to zoom etc) - you cannot do this with a single thumb...